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Similes

in common use:—


Bald as a coot.

Bitter as gall, as soot.

Black as ink, as a coal, as a crow

Blind as a bat, a beetle, a mole.

Blunt as a hedge-hook.

Brave as Alexander.

Bright as silver.

Brittle as glass.

Brown as a berry.

Busy as a bee.

Chatter like a jay.

Clear as crystal.

Cold as ice, as a frog, as charity.

Cool as a cucumber.

Cross as the tongs, as two sticks.

Dark as pitch [pitch-dark].

Dead as a door-nail.

Deaf as a post.

Dry as a bonc.

Fair as a lily.

False as a hell.

Fat as a pig, as a porpoise.

Flat as a flounder, as a pancake.

Fleet as the wind, as a racehorse.

Free as air.

Gay as a lark.

Good as gold.

Green as grass.

Hard as iron, as a flint.

Harmless as a dove.

Heavy as lead.

Hoarse as a hog, as a raven.

Helpless as a babe.

Hollow as a drum.

Hot as fire, as an oven, as a coal.

Hungry as a hunter.

Light as a feather, as day.

Limp as a glove.

Loud as thunder.

Merry as a grig, as a cricket.

Mild as Moses, as milk.

Neat as wax, as a new pin.

Obstinate as a pig (pig-headed.)

Old as the hills, as Methuselah.

Pale as a ghost.

Patient as Job.

Plain as a pikestaff.

Playful as a kitten.

Plump as a partridge.

Poor as a rat, as a church mouse, as Job.

Proud as Lucifer.

Red as blood, as a fox, a rose, a brick.

Rough as a nutmeg-grater.

Round as an orange, a ball.

Rude as a bear.

Safe as the bank [of England], or the stocks.

Savage as a bear, as a tiger, as a bear with a sore head.

Sick as a cat, a dog, a horse, a road.

Sharp as a needle.

Sleep like a top.

Slow as a snail, as a tortoise.

Sly as a fox, as old boots.

Soft as silk, as velvet, as soap.

Sound as a roach, as a bell.

Sour as vinegar, as verjuice.

Stare like a stuck pig.

Steady as Old Time

Stiff as a poker.

Straight as an arrow.

Strong as iron, as a horse, as brandy.

Sure as a gun, as fate, as death and taxes.

Surly as a bear.

Sweet as sugar.

Swift as lighting, as the wind, as an arrow.

Thick as hops.

Thin as a lath, as a whipping-post.

Tight as a drum.

Tough as leather.

True as the Gospel.

Vain as a peacock.

Warm as a toast.

Weak as water.

Wet as a fish.

White as driven snow, as milk, as a swan, as a sheet, as chalk.

Wise as a serpent, as Solomon.

Yellow as a guinea, as gold, as saffron.

 

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A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Entry taken from Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, edited by the Rev. E. Cobham Brewer, LL.D. and revised in 1895.

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Silver Spoon
Silver Star of Love (The)
Silver Streak (The)
Silver-Tongued
Silver Trumpet (A)
Silver Weapon
Silver Wedding
Silver of Guthrum, or Guthram’s Lane
Silverside of Beef (The)
Simeon (St.)
Similes
Similia Similibus Curantur
Simmes Hole
Simnel Cakes
Simon (St.)
Simon Magus
Simon Pure
Simony
Simple (The)
Simple Simon. A simpleton
Simplicity is sine plica

Linking here:

Bell
Bitter as Gall
Black as a Crow (or as a raven);
Blind
Brisk as a Bee
Brown as a Berry
Busy as a Bee
Clear as Crystal. Clear as Mud
Fair (The)
Firm as a Rock
Hard as a Stone
Light as a Feather
Sick as a Cat
Sick as a Dog
Sleep like a Top
Sly as a Fox
Sober as a Judge—i.e. grave and sedate
Soft as Soap
Straight as an Arrow
Strong
Stuck Pig
Sure as Demoivre
Sweet as sugar
Swift
Thin as a Whipping-post
Vain as a Peacock
Weak as Water
White as Driven Snow
Wise as Solomon